DE 196 00 542 A1 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,275) describes an electric plug connector arrangement having joinable first and second plug connector parts. The first plug connector part has a short circuit contactor that electrically connects two connection detection terminals at the second plug connector part to one another after the plug connector parts are joined together.
First and second plug connector parts of an electric plug connector arrangement, when used as intended, have first and second plug contact elements, respectively, via which load currents or useful signals are transmitted between feed lines connected to the plug contact elements after the plug connector parts are joined together. Some electric plug connector arrangements also have an electrical connection detection device.
An electrical connection detection device has the function, when the plug connector parts are correctly and completely joined, of generating an electrical signal which indicates the correct established plug-in connection. The signal may be used for controlling current flow through feed lines of the plug connector parts. As such, for example, the plug connector parts may be connected to one another without current.
For multipole plug connector arrangements, complementary plug contact elements of the plug connector parts not otherwise needed may be used as the electrical connection detection device. However, this results in disadvantageous properties because axially joined plug connector parts have a certain plug-in path (e.g., a certain plug-in distance). Consequently, the complementary plug contact elements used as the electrical connection detection device may thus contact one another and generate a signal before the plug-in operation is fully completed and a secure connection of the other plug contact elements of the plug connector parts is ensured.
For safety reasons and to avoid switching sparks, when the plug connector parts are joined together it is desirable for the contacts of the electrical connection detection device to close after all other electrical connections have been established (i.e., close after the electrical connections between the plug contact elements of the plug connector parts have been established). Conversely, when the plug connector parts are disconnected from one another it is desirable for the contacts of the electrical connection device to open before all other electrical connections have been removed (i.e., open before the electrical connections between the plug contact elements of the plug connector parts have been removed). That is, the contacts of the electrical connection detection device should be the first to be separated when the plug connector parts are disconnected to signal interruption of the plug-in connection as early as possible and optionally to allow disconnection of the plug contact elements of the plug connector parts without current.